Date of Award
Spring 5-23-2020
Document Type
Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscript
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Scot Nolan, DNP, RN, CNS, PHN, CCRN, CNRN, FCNS
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose: In a diverse southern California outpatient oncology clinic, assess the need for standardized pre-chemotherapy education for newly diagnosed cancer patients to aid in the improvement of health literacy, self-management of side effects, satisfaction, and reduction of anxiety.
Background: Cancer patients often feel anxious, overwhelmed, and confused by the abundance of information and medical jargon that they must digest. One southern California outpatient oncology clinic identified the need for consistent, standardized procedure in providing chemotherapy education and assessing treatment knowledge in newly-diagnosed cancer patients as evidenced by: inconsistent attendance in educational classes and or appointments, inability to articulate treatment after presentation of written material, numerous follow-up telephone calls, and uncertainty about techniques to self-manage symptoms and side effects. Evidence shows that when done appropriately, providing multiple methods of pre-chemotherapy education is effective in preventing and reducing anxiety, improvement in health literacy recall, and ability to self-mange side effects in patients receiving chemotherapy for the first time.
Process: This evidence-based practice project was built on the foundation of the Ace Star Model of Knowledge Transformation framework and the gate control pain theory. An integrated literature review was piloted to examine the best methods of providing chemotherapy education in the effort to improve patient’s health literacy, self-management of treatment side effects, patient satisfaction, and the reduction of anxiety.
Outcomes: The implementation of standardized procedure in methods of pre-chemotherapy education are pending.
Conclusion: Standardizing the process of chemotherapy education can provide measurable improvement in quality of care, productivity, adherence to treatment, and morale for chemotherapy patients by enhancing their level of health care literacy and sills for self-management of chemotherapy-related side effects.
Digital USD Citation
Patel, Spana, "Assessing the Need for Standardized Pre-Chemotherapy Education: An Outpatient Oncology Clinic Initiative" (2020). Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts. 132.
https://digital.sandiego.edu/dnp/132